Guideway Loop Antenna and Transponder Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated guided vehicle systems lack effective collision avoidance mechanisms, particularly in scenarios where multiple vehicles share routes, leading to potential impasses and safety concerns due to the lack of precise vehicle positioning and response to nearby vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a sinusoidal radio frequency signal transmission and response system using guideway loop antennas and vehicle-mounted transponders, which allow for the detection of vehicle presence and generation of inhibit signals to control movement, ensuring safe navigation through the use of code transmission and reception mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a passive closed antenna loop system is used for vehicle detection, then collision avoidance is enabled, but mutual stopping impasses occur when multiple vehicles are in proximity
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses transponders on vehicles to provide feedback about their presence and status to the guideway loop antennas. This feedback mechanism allows the system to distinguish between different vehicle states and directions, preventing the mutual stopping impasse by enabling intelligent decision-making based on real-time vehicle information.
Solution Approach 2:
The transponder acts as an intermediary between the vehicle and the guideway detection system. It receives signals from the passive closed antenna loop and transmits coded responses back, enabling the system to interpret vehicle presence, direction, and status accurately, thereby resolving the impasse problem.
2Productivity
If multiple vehicles share the same route, then transport efficiency is improved, but collision risk increases without precise positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces mechanical positioning methods with electromagnetic signal-based positioning using guideway loop antennas and transponders. This substitution enables precise electronic tracking of vehicle positions, allowing multiple vehicles to share routes safely with accurate real-time location data.
3Device complexity
If minimal trackside electronics are used, then system complexity is reduced, but vehicle detection precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The transponder on the vehicle performs self-service by actively transmitting its presence and status information back to the guideway system. This shifts some detection functionality from the trackside to the vehicle itself, maintaining detection precision while minimizing trackside electronic infrastructure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances safety by enabling precise vehicle positioning and collision avoidance, reducing the risk of impasses and ensuring safe operation in complex route networks with minimal trackside electronics.
Implementation Method 1
a first guideway loop antenna for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a passive closed antenna loop is provided adjacent to the vehicle path, along a length of the path and in which a transmitter on the vehicle induces an electromagnetic signal in the antenna loop
Data Source
AI summary
An automated vehicle protection system is provided comprising a guideway (20), a vehicle (10), a guideway loop antenna (21), and transponders (41a, 41b), mounted on the vehicle (10). Means (24, 25) are provided, couple to the guideway loop antenna (21), for receiving a signal from the vehicle (10) and generating an inhibit signal in order to inhibit vehicle movement in a section of the guideway (20). The inhibit signal may be passed to a circuit associated with another guideway loop antenna (22, 23) to control transmission of a signal from this other guideway loop antenna (22, 23).